Blog Faux Pas
Posted in Dusting the Historian's Library and tagged with Blogness, Lists, Writing on July 15, 2010
I have tried to keep from writing this post as it’s a common topic in the blogosphere and I have addressed the subject myself.
But I simply can’t keep my mouth shut any longer. I’ve read one too many blog posts that are cringe-worthy. (And because I know you will ask, it’s none of you all who come by my blog regularly!)
Can I humbly give some blog-writing tips? We’re all growing, so I have a lot to learn still, too.
Here are some major problems I’ve seen:
1. Blog posts that read like a middle-school diary. Sure, blogging is informal writing (thankfully!), but it still should have structure and editing. EDITING. Re-read what you write (probably multiple times). I usually re-read a paragraph/sentence after I write it and then re-read the whole post until it seems just right. (Overuse of exclamation points would fall under this category, too.)
2. Posts that contain overused phrases, especially several of them. These tend to be more natural in spoken language, but are more annoying written.
3. Posts that are too long. I know that I’m unusually short (both in stature and in blog-post length, but lets focus on that last one, k?). I’m not saying everyone should be as short as me. But very few bloggers can pull off long posts (Heather is the only one I can think of right now…and look how she still uses paragraphing and pictures to break up her posts). When I see them in my Google Reader, I skip them. Maybe they were interesting, but I’ll never know. VERY few subjects require posts over 500 words (your plan for solving world hunger, maybe). If it’s still longer than that after extensive editing, think of a way to make it a two-parter, or maybe even a series.
4. Posts lacking paragraphing. Follow your newspaper’s example: each paragraph should be 1-3 sentences long. Forget what your English teacher told you about the 5-sentence paragraph or whatever it was (hey, I just want to be a math teacher). Internet readers skim, so if you don’t make it easy for them, they’ll skip instead. Using bolding/bullets allows you to write longer paragraphs, if necessary.
5. Obvious grammatical and spelling errors. I’m not referring to split infinitives and using “who” instead of “whom.” I’m talking about its/it’s, they’re/there/their, and spelling errors that spell check should be pointing out to you. If your browser doesn’t spell check what you write, use the spell check in your blogging software. And re-read to catch the grammar issues.
For the most part, these are simple things that can improve your writing by a whole letter grade. All these things distract your reader from what you’re actually trying to say.
Photo by Nic’s events
July 15th, 2010 at 1:59 am
I think it is great you decided to add some blog grammar help!! :)
July 15th, 2010 at 2:21 am
Paragraphs are so key. People just don’t use them enough. I actually can’t read blogs that don’t double-space between their paragraphs either. It’s too brutal to read quickly.
July 15th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Those are all definitely my blogging pet peeves… especially that last one!
July 15th, 2010 at 10:04 am
Thanks for stoppin’ by for a Latte’. I don’t really consider myself a writer so I openly admit that it is a weakness of mine. But I do use paragraphs. :)
Twitter: cammyconfesses
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July 15th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Good tips Ronnica. I too have read a lot of bad blog posts out there. In fact, one of my friends from college just started a blog and sent me the link. When I went to it, I couldn’t even bear to read it because she does not use capital letters at all! Crazy.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:40 pm
Sarah: That seems to be the one that bugs people the most. I think the paragraph one is the most important, but obv. grammar/spelling is key!
Cammy: Yeah, that would annoy me. Even if I like the content, I’ll pass on a blog if they’d don’t capitalize (or ONLY use capital letters!).
Twitter: nesheaholic
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July 15th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
I agree on all accounts.
Twitter: CarnelianValley
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July 15th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
I’m generally not too bothered by lengthy posts but there are a few blogs I do mark as read, and those are the ones where the author has written really long paragraphs. A long paragraph on your site doesn’t look as long as it does in a reader. I tend to check my posts quite a few times before I’m finished, there’s always something you miss the first few times.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Charlie: I’m always surprised what I still miss, no matter how many times I re-read. That’s why we all have room to grow…writing is definitely an art!
July 15th, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Totally with you on all points! I used to be one of those who did long posts with many photos back when I was first learning… hopefully, I’ve gotten better as time has gone by. ;-) May I link to your post in a future post of my own about things like this? We must all be getting tired of the laziness arouind the ‘net… I’ve seen several posts lately complaining about just such things. There is a blog I used to really love… but I got so tired of all the me-me-me and lack of spelling, grammar, and capitalization… and this blog receives hundreds of hits a day! (Plus, if they don’t ever visit me back even once after I’ve commented a couple dozen times, wellllllll….)
Okay, that’s enough. Thanks, Teacher! Have an apple of a day! =)
(And thank you for visiting my blog again.)
July 15th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
Diana: Of course you link to it! Thanks for the apple. ;)
Twitter: jamieworley
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July 16th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
All great points!
July 16th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
Hi Ronnica!
Thanks for dropping by my blog earlier. Agree with your points, though I think I may have made some of the mistakes mentioned :P I’d like to add on one more which is not using images. I tend to stay away from blogs that contains lots of text and not much images. It’s like lacking something when you don’t put in at least 1 image to accompany your post content… just saying…
( I’m a full-time mummy )
July 17th, 2010 at 11:23 am
That’s exactly the reason my blogroll is so short. I cannot STAND to read blogs that break any of those rules. Well put, Ronnica!
July 20th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
I’ve broken way too many grammar rules. I edit and re-edit but am usually writing after a long night at work and instead on sitting on it for a day to look at it with fresh eyes I hit publish with glee. Then I go back and cringe.
Plus, I use way to many exclamation points! Good points that I personally will keep in mind.
July 22nd, 2010 at 9:38 am
I’m sure I’ve been guilty of each of these at one point – thanks for the reminders!